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Sunday, September 11, 2011

For The Love of Solids Swap

Ok, so I've been holed up in my sewing room since Wednesday and have used every spare moment that I've had to work on my For the Love of Solids swap. The fabrics I ordered only arrived on Wednesday and took over a month to arrive. I tried out several ideas for this swap, but none of them really worked as I knew the colors were not right--the Kona solids I had on hand were so few and didn't work well together.

Can I just tell you that I am having a proud moment with the finish of this swap? This is why... A few weeks ago, I suddenly changed my game plan after seeing some art work similar to these houses. Kind of reminds me of Hundertwasser in a way... I thought about trying to transfer it into fabric and became obsessed with drafting out a pattern and a method to do it. I made templates and played around with the solids I had on hand and was very disappointed. I had a long conversation with my husband how I felt like I just can't do this artist thing. I have always wanted to be able to draw and to be able to put what is in my mind into creation, but I feel I lack that ability to transfer what is inside my head into a real form. But, whether it is productive or not, I am obsessed with this whole creating thing. I think about fabric and quilting with every spare moment I have (not always a lot of spare moments). I went to bed that night telling my husband that I would get it right and that I would go back to the drawing board and get these houses the way I had them pictured.

I'm not sure I really believed myself, but when the new solids arrived I holed myself up in my sewing room that night and kept doing progress checks with my husband. He was doubtful, but I felt that I was going in the right direction and kept plodding along. And I feel like my persistence paid off. I did what I had envisioned. And the lesson was that I need to believe and persist. I had the same process with the pincushion. I've never made one before and after trying to find a tutorial for one and not finding anything that fit the bill for me, I went off to play again and came up with my two sided wagon wheel pincushion. I love that my creative processes have been pushed by this swap. I love that I tried something new. I hope my partner likes the table runner and pincushion--I truly did my best effort.

18 comments:

Oh-you better be proud! Your table runner is fantastic! I love everything about it and the colors are spectacular! The pincushions are really nice, too! Really nice work and three cheers for your persistance!

Your persistence paid off! This is seriously beautiful and your partner will love it. I'm glad I came over and read this (from the flickr group) because I'm really entrenched in the process of this solids quilt I'm working on and I don't even know if I like it or not. I just need to keep pushing through... but I also need to hurry! Anyway, thanks for sharing your frustrations and your creative process, that encouraged me :)

This is a great post and exactly why I keep doing swaps! I have done some of my best original work trying to satisfy my partners' preferences in several swaps - they have really stretched my creativity and forced me to 'just do it'. Congratulations on persevering until you were able to realize your vision. This table runner, and the pin cushion, are absolutely gorgeous and original. Your partner is so very fortunate.

I can't believe you only got your fabric on Wednesday - you must have been going crazy watching the shipping deadline tick closer and closer!!!

Such an interesting post to read about how you got to where you got with your swap items.I love it when someone stretches themselves and, as Poppyprint has said, swaps also stretch me which is why I do them.Congratulations, these are really fab and original items and I am SURE your partner will love them!

Oh wow, you should be so pleased with this effort, Jeannette - top marks for persistence and execution! I know exactly what you mean about having ideas in your head and not succeeding in translating them onto paper or fabric, I am always struggling with that. And lovely pincushion too!

This is REALLY fantastic. Not only the houses (which are perfection), but the story as well. That moment, right there, is what it's all about. Well done, you! An inspiration for all of us to keep working at our passions.

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About Me

I am a long arm quilter specializing in edge to edge (all over) quilting on my computerized Gammill Statler Stitcher.
I love all stages of making a quilt and I am especially drawn to trying anything new. I am also the proud mom of two young boys and wife to an Australian sheep and cattle farmer.